The Youth of the European People’s Party (YEPP) took part in the EPP Group in the Committee of the Regions (EPP/CoR) Group meeting for the first time on Tuesday October 8th, marking the beginning of enhanced cooperation at the local and regional level. By working together on key issues, including job creation, the future common agricultural policy and regional policy, YEPP and the EPP will work together to create a Europe that is closer to Europeans: a ‘Union of Citizens’. YEPP was represented by Konstantinos Kyranakis, President, and Christodoulos Ioannou, Vice-President.
‘Regional and local leaders are in a position to understand better the problems of the people.’ Konstantinos Kyranakis, President of YEPP, underlined for the local and regional representatives gathered at the EPP Group meeting. ‘Europe is the sum of the greatness of every local community that makes its people prosper and grow, together. Their problems are also our problems; they are Europe’s problems. And the lives of citizens’ will only become better if we stand together to serve them and represent them as they deserve.’ YEPP took the floor to present the ‘YEPP Local’ initiative, which aims at bringing together the local branches of our member organisations in small scale events throughout Europe. The theme of every event can vary, but the goal is to focus on the common challenges facing young people in the region and enable local members to feel part of our greater European family.
With the European elections just around the corner, Michael Schneider, President of the EPP Group in the Committee of the Regions, welcomed the intervention and echoed the need to work together with the next generation: ‘The youth perspective is particularly interesting because they bring new, innovative ideas to the table’ he said. He agreed with YEPP that youth job creation is a priority for all regions and cities in Europe and referred to the EPP Group meeting dedicated to this important topic earlier this year. ‘As we agreed in Dublin, we are convinced that entrepreneurship and innovation will be crucial to getting our young people into work and re-stimulating the European economy.’ He called on his colleagues to support YEPP with its initiative for a series of events under the title ‘YEPP goes local’.
